PM Modi should have spoken about economy, unemployment in Independence Day speech: Shiv Sena

New Delhi, Aug 17: Shiv Sena on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have spoken about employment generation and measures to revive the economy in his address to the nation on the Independence Day.

Saamna, the Sena mouthpiece, said that in his nearly 90 minutes speech the Prime Minister spoke about the COVID vaccine trials in India, the country's defence ability, National Digital Health Mission, among other things, but questioned whether the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" scheme which is being hyped would be able to tide over the economic crisis caused by the pandemic?

"Till now around 14 crore people in the country have lost their jobs. In future, this number is going to increase. People have to get out of their homes, but what will they do once they are getting out? Jobs, businesses and employment has been destroyed. It would have been better if the Prime Minister would have spoken about these," the editorial read.

The editiorial further said that although our country's "Army and Air Force are there to safeguard country's borders and keep enemies at bay, but how will we fight the devil of hunger and joblessness which is running amok in the country?"

It also put out a jibe at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's speech on Independence Day.

"Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had stated during the flag hoisting on Independence Day that India has the ability to speed up the global economy. Leave alone the world Sir, speed up the country's economy. Independence Day comes and goes, the Red Fort is the same, the problems and woes are still the same," it read.